The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus or the like such as a recording apparatus in which an image scanning means is detachably attached to the carriage of the main body.
Conventionally, an ink-jet recording apparatus which also has a scanner function by detachably attaching an image scanning means to the carriage of the recording apparatus has been proposed.
A recording apparatus of this type estimates the moving position of the carriage based on the rotational speed or angle of a motor as a moving means of the carriage, so as to serve as a recording apparatus or image scanning apparatus (Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 1-20832, 2-21712, 2-21711, and the like).
However, in the above prior art, since the moving position of the carriage is estimated from the rotational speed or angle of the motor, the following problems are posed.
(1) Since any physical size error of the motor itself is directly reflected in positional precision, it is hard to assure high positional precision.
(2) Since the moving position information of the carriage is estimated information and does not indicate absolute position, if a positional deviation occurs in the moving position information of the carriage due to some disturbance, the carriage is driven from at the deviated position, and tedious recovery processes are additionally required.
Furthermore, due to the presence of the aforementioned problems, when the recording apparatus mounts the image scanning means on the carriage and operates as an image scanning apparatus, the following problems are posed.
(3) The image scanning position with respect to the original cannot be obtained with high precision.
(4) Since the rotational speed, angle, or the like of the motor suffers nonuniformity (owing to parts precision, assembly precision, errors, and the like), the image scanning period that defines an accumulation time at every predetermined rotational speed or angle of the motor is not constant. That is, since the time for receiving light reflected by the original by a sensor (the accumulation time) depends on the moving distance of the carriage, the accumulation time is not constant.
From these problems, when the conventional image processing apparatus is used as an image scanning apparatus, disturbance of the scanned image cannot be avoided.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the conventional problems, and has as its object to provide an image processing apparatus which can prevent disturbance of the scanned image by implementing high-precision, high-resolution image scanning when an image scanning means is attached, its control method, and a storage medium.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an information scanning apparatus, a recording apparatus, an information scanning method, and a storage medium, which can stably supply light for scanning information at an accurate position, and can scan an original image with high precision.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems and to achieve the above objects, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided an image processing apparatus which has recording means detachable from a main body and/or image scanning means detachable from the main body, comprising: carriage means for supporting and moving the recording means or the image scanning means; distance measuring means for measuring a moving position of the carriage means, and outputting a signal indicating that the carriage means is located at a predetermined moving position; and signal generation means for generating a scanning time signal of the image scanning means in accordance with the signal output from the distance measuring means upon scanning an image by the image scanning means.
A method of controlling an image processing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided a method of controlling an image processing apparatus which has recording means detachable from a main body and/or image scanning means detachable from the main body, comprising the steps of: measuring a moving position of carriage means for supporting and moving the recording means or the image scanning means; outputting a signal indicating that the carriage means is located at a predetermined moving position; and generating a scanning time signal of the image scanning means in accordance with the signal output from the distance measuring means upon scanning an image by the image scanning means.
A storage medium according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement according to its first aspect.
That is, there is provided a storage medium which stores a computer readable program for controlling an image processing apparatus which has recording means detachable from a main body and/or image scanning means detachable from the main body, the program including: a process for measuring a moving position of carriage means for supporting and moving the recording means or the image scanning means; a process for outputting a signal indicating that the carriage means is located at a predetermined moving position; and a process for generating a scanning time signal of the image scanning means in accordance with the signal output from the distance measuring means upon scanning an image by the image scanning means.
An information scanning apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided an information scanning apparatus which comprises scanning means for scanning information on a recording medium using light emitted by a light source, and carriage means for supporting and moving the scanning means, comprising: distance measuring means for measuring a moving position of the carriage means; and ON time signal generation means for generating an ON time signal for turning on the light source on the basis of a measurement result of the distance measuring means.
A recording apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided a recording apparatus, which comprises carriage means on which one of recording means for recording information and scanning means for scanning information on a recording medium using light emitted by a light source is detachably attached, and which supports and moves the recording means and the scanning means, comprising: distance measuring means for measuring a moving position of the carriage means; and ON time signal generation means for generating an ON time signal for turning on the light source on the basis of a measurement result of the distance measuring means upon scanning by the scanning means.
An information scanning method according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided an information scanning method using an information scanning apparatus which comprises scanning means for scanning information on a recording medium using light emitted by a light source, and carriage means for supporting and moving the scanning means, executing: a distance measuring process for measuring a moving position of the carriage means; and an ON time signal generation process for generating an ON time signal for turning on the light source on the basis of a measurement result of the distance measuring process.
A storage medium according to the present invention is characterized by the following arrangement according to its second aspect.
That is, there is provided a storage medium, which stores a computer readable program for executing an information scanning method of an information scanning apparatus which comprises scanning means for scanning information on a recording medium using light emitted by a light source, and carriage means for supporting and moving the scanning means, the information scanning method comprising: the distance measuring step of measuring a moving position of the carriage means; and the ON time signal generation step of generating an ON time signal for turning on the light source on the basis of a measurement result in the distance measuring step.
Other objects and advantages besides those discussed above shall be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which follows. In the description, reference is made to accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which illustrate an example of the invention. Such example, however, is not exhaustive of the various embodiments of the invention, and therefore reference is made to the claims which follow the description for determining the scope of the invention.